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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25652731">come morning light</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilia_kaisa/pseuds/emilia_kaisa'>emilia_kaisa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>August Break 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Figure Skating RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Friendship but with an undertone haha, Mornings, No Plot/Plotless, Not Beta Read, Quiet and Warm, augustbreak2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:07:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25652731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilia_kaisa/pseuds/emilia_kaisa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An early morning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carolina Kostner/Tomáš Verner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>August Break 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859830</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>come morning light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I really like writing them, feeling a serious wave of nostalgia here. Inspired by a prompt (part of a new challenge!) 'morning view'.<br/>Set at 2014 world championships.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The world is still grey and mostly asleep, and even quiet clicking of the elevator sounds loud to Tomáš’s tired ears, his body and mind still half asleep. He doesn’t like early morning flights, but that’s the only connection that can take him home without three layovers, so he’s going to try and suffer through it with dignity. </p>
<p>The door open and he steps into the restaurant, and can’t help but smile a little. The hotel’s restaurant is placed on the ninth floor, and he’s decided he’s not wasting an opportunity to eat the last breakfast in Japan with such a view. The place is basically empty, only a perfectly dressed and polite waiter offering him a cup of coffee.</p>
<p>He sits by the table close to the wall-length window, trying to hide an inelegant yawn as he scrolls through his phone and doing one last check of his transport to the airport. He’s so occupied with that he almost doesn't notice when a chair cracks and someone sits on the other side of the table, letting out a quiet laughter he would recognize anywhere. </p>
<p>"Hey, you're up." he states the obvious, and Carolina makes a face at him, hands curled around a cup of black coffee. </p>
<p>"I thought I would like to see you."</p>
<p>They said their goodbyes at the closing banquet, and even though he joked she could join him for extremely early breakfast, but didn't think she would actually do so. </p>
<p>But well, there she is, in an oversized sweater and carrying a the sweetest of smiles. He smiles back at her, not really sure what to say, and the appearance of a waiter bringing his food shakes him out of silence. </p>
<p>"Do you want something?" </p>
<p>"I'm good for now. Might go back to bed." she says, hiding a yawn behind her palm and he snorts. </p>
<p>"Am I really worthy that sacrifice?" </p>
<p>"I'm reconsidering." </p>
<p>It's so easy, to be with her, it always has been, since the moment they met ages ago to where they're now, with him at the end of his competing career and with her smiling with just a tad of melancholy. He's not a melancholic type, not really, but he also feels a shift of uncertainty, wondering where life will throw them and how many miles apart. </p>
<p>"It looks good." she notices, nodding at his plate of toasts and he raises his eyebrow, knowing her all to well. </p>
<p>"I would be very grateful if you take one, it's a bit too much for this hour for my sleeping stomach."</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes with amusement and reaches for a toast, biting into it absently as her gaze drifts to the window, where the first rays of sunshine are coloring the horizon with soft brushes of pink and yellow. She looks deep in thought, almost sad, and something pangs inside Tomáš's chest lightly, an echo of some old memory. </p>
<p>"So, what now?" he asks without thinking it through too much, and she tilts her head as she looks back at him, eyes full of wonder. </p>
<p>"I think I might need a break." </p>
<p>He blinks, and truly wants to say something, but then he's startled by the sound of his phone ringing, an alarm remind him that he needs to start moving if he wants to catch his ride. </p>
<p>"Well that's a fitting timing." Carolina chuckles, waving a little at his apologetic expression "Next time we should grab a breakfast at 3AM."</p>
<p>"When's the next time, though?" Tomáš can't help but ask and her smile grows, corner of her mouth twitching. </p>
<p>"Call me when you're in Italy."</p>
<p>"Always."</p>
<p>The sunrise paints her cheeks with gold and orange, and she exhales softly as he kisses her cheek, her arms hugging him tightly for a moment before she steps back, warm and gentle in the morning light. </p>
<p>"You don't want to miss that plane." she says and he almost argues that he actually wouldn't mind, but he stops himself right before he could do something stupid, like saying that out loud. So he mouths a quiet goodbye and she waves, laughing as he takes a few step backwards before turning around and walking properly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His heart stutters as the day is waking up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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